Adjustable guide for refrigerator shelves



L. BlsHcP ADJUSTABLE GUIDE Fon REFRIGERATOR sHELvEs Filed Jan. 31, 1941 April 21, 1942.

Patented Apr.` 21,` 1942 l UNIIED STATES* PATENT OFFICE No ADJUSTABLE GUIDE Fon REFRIGERATOR sHELvEs l Leroy Bishop, Vista, Calif. Application January 31, 1941,`seria1No. 376,891 claims. (01211-153) My invention relates broadly to new and useful improvements in refrigerators, and more particularly to `refrigerator shelves having adjustable guides yassociated therewith.

An important object of my invention is to provide a refrigerator shelf having guides associated therewith in a manner to hold the various articles supported by the shelf in a neat and orderly manner, the said guides being adjustable to properlyaccommodate varying sizes of cans,

bottles, and the like, as the occasion demands.

Another object of my invention is to provide a refrigerator shelf `of the above-mentioned character wherein the guides are separately readily removable so that onlysucli guides as are actually required need be applied to the shelf. Still another object of myinvention is to provide a` shelf `construction that is particularly adapted to be yincorporated in a large commercial type of refrigerator having frontand rear doors. In this `typeof refrigerator theartcles are placed onthe shelf fromthe rear and as' each article is placed on theshelf `the'articl-esA previously Vplaced thereon `are lpushed toward the front. If `no guides` are providedthe line or column of goods has la 'tendency to buckle thus rendering it extremely `difficult to stockthe shelf in an orderly and compact mannen, My invention, therefore, contemplates al shelf construction that will guide and direct the column of goods as the same is advanced from the rear toward the front ofthe refrigerator thus greatly expediting the stocking of the shelf with food stuffs.

YOther objects and `advantages of my invention,

`will be apparent during the Vcourse of the following description.

In the drawing, forming a part of this specification, and whereinlike numerals are employed to designate` likeparts throughout` the same,

, Figure l is a verticaltransverse sectional view taken through the front and rear walls of a refrigerator having a shelf Construction embodying my invention incorporated therewith,

4Figure 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view l taken-through 4the side Walls ofy the refrigerator andshowing my improved shelf construction associ-ated therewitln' i Figure 3 ,is a fragmentary side elevational view of one of the guideplates comprising a part of my invention and showing the association of the same with the supporting frame of the refrigerator shelf, 1

Figure` 4 is a transverse sectional view `taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3,` and Figure 5 is a perspective view of the clamping means for holding the guide plates detachably associated with the supporting frame.y

In the accompanying drawing, wherein for the purpose of illustration, is shown la preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral Illv designates a conventional refrigerator construction. My shelf construction may be incorporated in any of the convention-al types of refrigerators, however, I have here illustrated the same as being associated with a large commercial type refrigerator having front and rear doors I I and I2. All standard refrigerator constructions have provision for supporting a plurality of vertically spaced shelves therein. Ihave here illustrated the supportinglmeans as comprising angle-irons I3 which extend horizontally along the side Walls of the refrigerator with one flange thereof extending' normally to the wall to support a shelf I4.

The shelf` comprises a continuous band or rod I5 including side members I6 which extend along the inner side walls of the refrigerator. and which are supported by the extending flange of the angle-irons. The opposite ends of the side members yare joined by integral front and rear members I'I which extendalong the inner face of the front and rear walls of the refrigerator and in bridging relation with the door openings. A plurality of relatively smaller rods I8 are supported in bridging relation relative tothe front and rear members I'I of the supporting frame and in laterally spaced parallel relation with each other. The rods I8 are arranged sufliciently close together to support the articles I9 normally contained within the refrigerator.

'In the commercial type refrigerator here illustrated,` the various articles are generallyf introduced through the rear door I2 and the articles of. similar character are generally arranged in rows extending from the front to the rear thereof in a neat and orderly manner. In any refrigerator having a large capacity where a large number of articles are stored and where it is necessary to have frequent access thereto, it is also extremely important that the articles be arranged compactly. As the articles are pushed forwardly from the reartoward the front of the refrigerator the line of cans or bottles has `a tendency to buckle thus permitting the individual cans comprising the line to disperse in a, disorderly manner across the shelf; The occurrence of such a contingency requires that considerable labor and time be expended to kagain arrange the goods in an orderly manner. I have, therefore, provided a plurality of 4guide plates 20 which are uniquely adapted to-extend in spaced parallel relation with each other and with their opposite ends supported by the front and rear members I'I of the supporting band I5. Suitable clamp means are carried by each of the guide plates for detachably connecting the same to the members whereby they may be adjusted laterally relative to each other to properly accommodate varying sizes of the articles I9.

All of the guide plates are similar in their construction and it is therefore thought that a detailed description of but one will suffice. The plate comprises a vertically disposed essentially rectangular member of sheet metal or the like having its upper corners chamfered, as at 2I, and its lower corners cut away, to provide seats 22 accommodating the front and rear supporting members II. The overhanging ends 23 of the guide rest upon the supporting members I1 and terminate substantially flush with the front and rear` edges of the shelf while the lower edge 24 thereof terminates ush with the lower periphery of the members. The upper edge 25 of the guide plate extends substantially above the shelf in a manner to engage the bottom portions of the articles I9 and to provide channels or guideways between the adjacent guide plates which extend the full depth of the refrigerator.

Each ofthe guide plates is provided at its opposite ends with a clamp 26 which is formed with an inverted U-shaped middle portion 21 having its opposite ends 28 and 29 curving outwardly and upwardly. The U-shaped middle portion is provided at its apex with a laterally extending shank 30 which. is pivotally received within an opening3| adjacent the lower edge of the plate. Theopposite ends 28 and 29 of the clamp extenddownwardly below the lower edge 24 of the guide plate andV each end is provided with a lateral extension 32 which extends beneath the Q The end 29 of each of the said bottom edge.. clamps is provided with an adjusting screw 33. The screw-,threaded shank 34 of the screw extends upwardly and the distal end thereof is cupped, as at 35, to assure fixed engagement thereof with the lower edge of the guide plate and actuation of the screw operates to move the cupped end of vthe shank into and out of ensagement therewith.

When .the guide plate is connected with the the'front and rear members I'I of the band and,

when the adjusting screws are threaded inwardly, theend 35 of the screws will engage the lower edge of the guide plate and rock the clamps about their pivots` to move the outer ends 28 vthereof from thevdotted line position and into pressedl engagement with the bottom of the membersll. It may thus be seen that any number of the` guide plates may b e attached to the shelf and that, they may be suitably spaced to accommodate any size of article therebetween.

p I have foundit expedient to provide the ends of the guide plates vadjacent the front door II of the refrigerator with aligning openings 36 which receive a transversely extending rod 31. The rod 3l operates as aA stop member and prevents the articles I9 from being pushed forwardly of the shelf and against the inner face of the front door of the refrigerator. It frequently happens that the Iperson introducing the articles through the rear door is not aware of the fact that the foremost article is resting against the front door and when the front door is opened the foremost articles fall from the refrigerator with a resulting breaking of the bottles or damage to the cans. The stop rail 36 is adapted to prevent the occurrence of such an event. The rail is preferably removable to permit the guide plates to be independently inserted or removed from the shelf construction and its removal is readily effected by pulling the frame I5 forwardly on the supporting angles I3 until the rod is moved to a position in front of the refrigerator. The rod may then be easily slipped laterally through the openings 36 and guide plates may be added or removed from the shelf assembly as desired. It is obvious that when the assembly is disposed within the refrigerator, the guide plates will direct the travel of the articles as they are pushed forwardly along the rods I8 and that the. stop rail 36 will -prevent the foremost articles 'from being pushed against the door I I. The guide plates will prevent buckling of the line or column of articles and assure their arrangement on the shelf in a neat and orderly manner. y

It is to be understood that the form of my invention7 herewithshown and described, is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the size, shape and arrangement of parts maybe resorted to without departing from the spirit of ymy invention, or scope of the appended claims. y

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

l. In a shelf construction having transverse front and rear supporting members, vertical guide plates bridging the membersand having a, portion thereof extending above the members, and clamps pivotally mounted at the opposite ends of each of the plates, each of said clamps having a lpart extending at one side of its pivot to engage the adjacent supporting member and a part extending at the otherside of its pivot having provision forholding the said first part in pressed engagement with its respective member.

2. In a shelf construction having transverse front and rear supporting members, vertical guide plates bridging the members and having a portion \thereof extending above the members, clamps pivotally mounted at the opposite ends of each of the plates, each of vsaid clamps having a part extending at one side of its pivot to engage the adjacent supporting member and a part extending at, the other side of its pivot, and adjustable means coactive with the last-mentioned part of the clamp and with the guide plate for holding the said first-mentioned part of the clamp in pressed engagement with its respective supporting member.

3. In a shelf construction having transverse front and rear supporting members, vertical guide yplates bridging the members and having a portionthereof extending above the members, clamps pivotally mounted at the opposite ends of each of the plates, each of said clamfps having a -part extending at one side of its pivot to engage the adjacent supporting mem-ber and a part extending at the other side of its pivot, and an adjusting screw carried by the last-mentioned part of each of the clamps movable into engagement with the guide plates for rocking the clamps about their pivots and for moving the first-mene 2,280,371 tioned ends thereof into 'clamping engagement bers, parts of Whichplates extend above the said` members, means detachably clamping each of the plates to the supporting members, and a stop rail removably received within aligning openings at one end of the plates and extending in vertically spaced parallel relation with one of the said supporting members. i

5. In a refrigerator shelf construction havin transverse front and rear supporting rod memplates bridging the rod members and extending thereabove to provide guideways to hold articles upon the shelf in straight rows, said plates having the lower cornersof their ends cut away to provide seats receiving the rod members for the ends of the plates to terminate flush with the outer sides thereof and for the lower longitudinal `edges of the plates to terminate flush with the underlsides of the rod members, and :clamp means detachably connecting the plates to said rod mem-bers and being adjustable to permit lateral shifting of the plates.

f LEROY BISHOP.

bers, a plurality of laterally spaced vertical guide 

